Stories

“Sorters in the recycling plants, and in the waste hauling business, are among some of the most dangerous jobs, and filled by a lot of workers who are least able to stick up for their rights, either because they’re from…

In Alaska, grocery shopping is often expensive and products can be scarce since most of the products must be shipped in the state. It is not uncommon to see empty shelves and produce and staples double the price of what…

LEAF is thrilled to provide financing to DREAM Collaborative to help them grow, increase profitability, and continue making a positive impact in Boston. DREAM Collaborative is a minority-owned architectural firm in Boston that has made significant positive contributions to underserved…

Born out of the idea to make greener, affordable transportation, Stefan Schlesinger opened Seattle Electric Bike (SEB) in 2009, selling bikes out of his garage. Over the next decade, the business expanded. He sold a range of high quality bikes…

Café Iterum is a new café and casual eatery in East Boston located in the ground floor retail space at Clippership Wharf, a mixed-use development on East Boston’s waterfront that was completed in 2019 and includes 478 residential units. The…

Green Mountain Graphics was founded in 1969 in New York City, designing and manufacturing signage for businesses and property owners. Its current owner, Eric Greenberg, took over ownership from his father in 1994. Under Eric’s ownership the business grew significantly,…

GreenTree Co-op Market launched their new location as an anchor tenant of 410 W Broadway St, a mixed-use development in Mt. Pleasant’s downtown center, immediately to the west of City Hall. According to the City of Mt. Pleasant, efforts have…

Stop and Compare, an independent supermarket with locations in Lynn and Chelsea, Massachusetts, is a family-owned and operated neighborhood supermarket formed in 1996 by Cuban immigrants Al and Betty Calvo with the goal of “connecting culture and community through authentic…

Founded in 2008 by Caribbean immigrants Gregory Minott and Troy Depeiza, DREAM Collaborative (“DREAM”) is an architecture firm located in Boston focused on creating beautiful, authentic places and enabling better outcomes through neighborhood centric design. Since then, the DREAM team…

Big Duck is a boutique consulting shop that works exclusively with nonprofit clients, supporting them with branding, fundraising, and awareness-based campaigns. Originally founded in Brooklyn, NY in 1994 by Sarah Durham, the worker cooperative will have 13 initial worker-owners. The…

At Nubian Market with Secretary Kennealy and our TA Analyst, Chris Hunter. August 10th, 2021. Last Tuesday, we had the opportunity to visit and hear from Boston small businesses with Mike Kennealy, the Commonwealth’s Secretary of Housing and Economic Development.…